The National tribune., 1887-05-05
OUR CORRESPONDENTS.
Replies to Questions on a Variety OF Interesting
Subjects.

ITO CorTespondents-WTite questions on a sep
arate sheet Of paper, give full name and address
and mark II Correspondents Column" Noatten-
ton Will be paid 10 communications that are not
accompanied with full name and address Of writer.
Our readers are requested to inclose "a stamp for
reply 10 their Inquiries. Postal cards will be
replied TO by mail only. Replies by mail will ordi-
| narily be made within a week, and if in this col
umn within three weeks.l
L. T., Sylrdnia PA B. C. received an in
! jury and discharged on Surgeons certificate
Of disability. This disability followed him, and
finally caused bis death in 1881. Prior to June.
1850. his declaration for pension filed and the
proper papers forwarded for evidence. IN obtaining
which the papers became lost and thus the claim
remained until 1856; his widow then filed her dec
laTaion for pension. In her claim is allowed.
would she not be enabled by virtue of his appica-
ton. 10 perfect his claim and receive arrearages
from date OF hrs discharge? AHSirer. Yes; but her
own claim tcidolc will date only from the date
when she filed her declaration
- ID. NcC:, ErdnSriHe. Ind, wants to know
whether soldier Is entitled to anything for rations
he did not receive short rations about three
months. part Of the time quarter rations and
part of tie time nothing but coffee and salt and
all Of the time doing hard duty in the front An
He isentitled to nothing but the hungry recol
lections of those days. The Government has never
made any provision to pay for the times when
lived principally on "air pudding"
H. ". C., EdstpOrt. Me.-lf a man enlisted In the
Home Guard or Coast Guard, aud would not voluu-
teer To 10 the front with his company, hut stayed
home, is he entitled the same any other volun-
teer to pension, which he is now drawing and Is
he eligible TO membership in the GAR? dHswer.
The fact that he Is drawing pension shows that he
Is entitled thereto, and that fact also shows that he
Is entitled 10 membership in the GAR
Il. ID. h, Osircgo. Kan, sends advertising
card OF an attorney, wherein II is set forth that
Officers serving from May l. 1854 to March g.
lSo are entitled to - per month additional pay for
each servant, and asks us whether there IL any
law giving TO officers between the dates mentioned
additional pay for each servant. Ans,rer. No; nor
has there ever been such "a law. That attorney
must be quite rusty.
T. s., Cdlrerion. Md-Please state the number and
condition Of the proclamation order issued early
in
two years or more re-enlisted for three years. or
during the war. and were allowed 30 days furlough
ana SiC2 bounty. Ansuer; You refer TO General
Orders, No l9l, Adjutant- Generals Office War De-
partment, June D. 1868, which provided a bounty
of 500 and premium Of g for all volunteers then
serving in three year organizations who should re-
enlist after the expiration of % days from date of
said order. Also soldiers who had served nine
consecutive months in another organization were
equally entitled. The period for re-enisting
veterans subsequently extended to April L.
1854. such veterans upon reenlislment grant
ed fgrlough OF 80 days. designated as veteran fur
lough."
u. 4. C., Rock Valley Io,Oa-when a soldier and
his family destitute. and he is not able work.
Is not drawing pension, goes to the Soldiers
Home leaving his family without any means Of
support can his wife draw a pension to take care
of herself and children with. II so, how much?
AnSrer. No; the wife and children cannot draw
pension in such case.
Tom, Fair Hdren oonn.-To settle a dispute,
please state who Is Treasurer of the United States
where located, and where IL his Office. AnsWer.
G. n Jordan is Treasurer OF the United States and
his office Is in the u =. Treasury, Washington d.
G. Ii il proper 10 remark that lac has rendered his
resignation, but his successor has not yet been
appointed.
T. ~ C.. POneroy. ". TIL. Enlisted Nov. S, 1881;
was mustered ont Dec. s. ls6I. How much bounty
was entitled to? received but $780, 2 II the
pay Of private soldier raised from Sl3 to SIT,
why did we not receive said difference? AnsWer.
j. You were entitled to 500 original bounty, and
you wonld have been entitled to 500 additional
bounty had you filed your claim for the latter prior
TO July j, lSsl when all such claims became barred
nj rg.fu
der was never raised from Sl3 to Sl7 per month
April i. 1864, the pay Of private raised from
sl3 to sl6 and all private soldiers were paid that
amount thereafter
Stamps" East Lirerpool. O.-Does the Govern
ment pay premium old stamps. AI,sirer. No;
but certain old rare stamps are purchased by coll
lectors of such relics.
j. NEG, Philadelphia Pal. ! fled a pension
claim on several disabilities and it allowed on
one or two, emitting the others. one of which
for wound. IL file n claim for reissue will IL date
back TO date of application 2 What can do in
order to get pension on wound? 3. was a
deseTter and employed attorney get the charge
removed. He charged me So. Was II not unlsw-
ful? AnSrer, l. II - not necessary for you to file
n claim for reissue. All you need do is To write to
the Commissioner OF Pensions and ask him what Is
necessary 10 insure the allowance of your claim for
wound. sfe preceding answer. 3 There il no
regular Zee for sach service. IL Is matter To be
agreed upon between the claimant and the attorney.
The fee charged. however. was, in opinion,
excessive SlO was ample, and IS the usual charge
by reputable attorneys, unless the case Is taken TO
Congress. a. s.-
J. H.. Maoonsb.-If A. sends in for pension be-
fore the law runs out and was rejected and
now sends in again. he draw back from the time
lac WAS discharged, II his pension is allowed. An
sirer. Yes: II II il the same claim.
+. C., Chicago U.-l. A soldier contracted dis
ability in service and In line Of duty was konOraby
discharged, re-ensied in the Regular Army and
deserted. The charge OF desertion still stands
against him Does this desertion bar his right 10
pension for the above named disability. p Is he
still liable To and Imprisonment il he files his
pension claim? 3 Will lac be so arrested? Anslrer
M In all il.s Il sarfar
the Regular Army Is considered deserteF ut large
yet the War Department would not disturb II
dcscrteE Of the late war and the service in which
the disability was coniracted having been an hon
orabe one, his deserton from n subsequent service
would not deprive him oi pension.
W. m. ~. ". Pd.-l. When IA claim for pension
has been reached by the Commissioner and further
testimony - demanded and which is furnished by
claimant, will the Commissioner Immediately con
slider the claim viii IL await "A regular turn? 2.
What Is the maximum rate for vaTicose veins in
both iegs2 g. l. Mr.. MatsOn. Chairman of Com
mittee ON Invalid Pensions of last Congress, n
Democrat or Republican? Ans,rer. i. The claim
would be Immediately considered in connection
with the Testimony last forwarded. 2 There il no
specified rate for yaricOse ycins, which, like other
diseases. would be rated ia accordance with the
pensioners ability to perform manual labor as
determined by the reports of the Examining Sur
geous. very aggravated case might be rated at
$50 per month A lesser degree of disability $50,
or less. down To 81. 3. lie is Democrat.
". ~ A. GreenUiHe, Pd.-Is a widow entitled to
81 per month-that il, the increase from IS To sl2
per month-back tC date of commencement of pen
sion? ! hear that some have received it, Ans,cer.
No. Only back to March 10, 1856 in claims filed
prior TO said date. You have been misinfoTmed
In regard To your last statement.
Z. b., Prescott ATi=.-I am drawing pension of
S2i per month for loss of leg below knee. Am not
entitled To the increase of 30 per month? If so. do
have to apply for IL or do / have to wait until
they get ready to send il to me? AHSWer. You are
entitled To $50 II you pensioned for loss Of leg
below the knee. IL Is mol necessary for you to file
"A claim You will he paid that rate soon your
case is reached ia it, turn. We suggest that you
write To the Commissioner Of Pensions giving the
number Of your pension certificate and stating the
details of Your case.
u. d., IN. Tabor Ore.-All appointments To the
Military Academy at West Point, with the excep-
ton of few appointments at-large. which are
made by the President Of the United States are
atives in Congress, each one of whom has APP
pointment each year. Write to your Representa-
tive for further particulars.
J. b.. PiftsbtTg-Ifa soldier draws a pension and
dies is his widow entitled to the continuance of the
same? AnSlrer. No; not To his pension. The rate
for all widows' pensions is fixed by law, and can be
neither more nor les The amount he Teceiy-
ing has nothing to do with her rate.
b. O.. Boston. HdSS.-l enlisted and went
into camp July 49, 1861; first mustered into
service Aug ., 1861 but on account of some infor-
maliy the date of muster OF the whole regiment
(2lst Mass.) afteTward made Aug. %. 1861. /
served enlisted man until Sept. l. 1862, which Is
the date of my commission as Second Lieutenant.
Is there any decision under which am entitled to
the 500 bounty promised to soldiers enlistng for
three years ortlie war? :. have claim for cor
rectou Of date of muster Second Lieutenant and
First Lieutenant aud for difference Of pay aud al
lowances which claims presume have been acted
upon flvoTably, as signed pay receipts more than
three months, ago and have heard nothing from
Al. s.Nl 49, Ill